Funny Games that Don't Follow the Rules

As humans we long to find meaning in all things. Perhaps what makes Funny Games (2007) so terrifying is the complete lack of meaning. Other than maybe boredom Paul and Peter give no reason for playing these sick games with the family. In his essay “The Paradox of Horror”, Carrol attempts to discover what draws viewers to the horror genre. One possible reason is that we as viewers get to experience what the characters are feeling without being in any real danger. The problem with this film is that it leaves you more and more unsettled until its end. Then there is nothing. 

Throughout the film Paul continues to break the fourth wall. He often looks directly into the camera and will ask the audience questions. Breaking the fourth wall has become somewhat of a taboo in most movies. There is a clear separation between the fictional film and the reality of the audience that we come to expect. For me personally, Paul continuing to make eye contact made me increasingly uncomfortable and the film itself is extremely off-putting. Most of the more gruesome scenes, such as Georgie’s death, occur off camera and what we get are the reactions of the characters. Obviously Peter and Paul torturing the family is horrendous, but the realization of what Paul’s ability to break the fourth wall means is what makes Funny Games truly terrifying. When Ann finally takes control of the situation and kills Peter with the shotgun, the film finally gets a sense of purpose. As viewers, we expect there to be some sort of triumph at the end. 

Then Paul rewinds the scene. 

Paul is in complete control of the situation. He is all about fairness and playing the game correctly. When Peter breaks the rules and shoots Georgie, Paul chastises him because that isn't how they play. But there is no fairness. Ann and George never even have a chance because Paul has the ability to literally rewind the movie so that he can always win the game. This film is terrifying because there is no meaning behind it. In his essay “Violence + Media”, the director Michael Haneke states that the film is a commentary on violence in the media. He presents a movie that is incredibly violent, but otherwise pointless. The family doesn't stand a chance and Paul doesn’t play by the rules. The horror isn’t our ability to feel what the character’s are feeling as Carrol suggests. The utter meaninglessness of the film and its violence is what makes it true horror. 

Room 237

After watching the The Shining and reading Carrol's essay The Paradox of Horror,  I can see why the movie The Shining is an American-Horror classic, and also why the horror genre is still so immensely popular nowadays. Personally, I have never enjoyed horror movies, but for some reason I have always wanted to enjoy them. But thanks to Carrol and his essay of The Paradox of Horror, I am now better able to understand why the horror genre is so attractive.

In Carrol's essay The Paradox of Horror, he ultimately seeks to discover the underlying reasons as to why human beings are attracted to the horror genre. He explores the 'paradox of horror' which "amounts to the question of how people can be attracted by what is repulsive" (160). This attraction is evident by how horror films produce fear, disgust, and repulsion, which are inherently distasteful emotions, yet the horror genre is massively popular. As Carrol is seeking to understand the 'paradox of horror' he declares the morbidly unnatural (the repulsive) evokes a type of fear called 'cosmic' fear. He says this fear is "attractive because this kind of awe responds to or restores some sort of primordial or instinctual human intuition about the world." He says that we seek the morbidly unnatural in horror to experience awe, a cosmic fear with a visionary dimension that corresponds to instinctual, human views of the universe (163).

In The Shining, one can see this 'cosmic' fear having a pivotal role in the film. Throughout the film, Danny experiences psychic phenomena. An example of this would be in the beginning of the film, where he has a vision of an elevator full of blood opening up. The Shining also gives ample evidence of what Carrol writes in his essay about the importance of curiosity in relation to the horror genre. Carrol says that the horror story is driven explicitly by curiosity, and that it engages the audience by being  involved in processes of disclosure, discovery, proof, explanation, hypothesis, and confirmation. He then says that doubt, skepticism, and the fear that belief in the existence of the monster is a form of insanity are predictable foils to the revelation (to the audience and/or characters) of the existence of the monster. This ultimately leads us with a desire to know steeped in curiosity (182).

Room 237 in The Shining is a perfect example of this type of curiosity causing the audience to become engaged and possessed with a desire to know. Earlier in the film Danny is explicitly told by Hallorann to not go into Room 237. This instantly made me fascinated and curious to know what is the truth or secret behind Room 237. Hallorann commanded Danny to not go in there, but I wanted proof and the exact reason as to why Danny shouldn't go in there. So once Danny stopped by Room 237 as he was cruising around on his tricycle, I was bombarded with conflicting thoughts and emotions. I remember kind of saying to myself, "You shouldn't go in there Danny. Don't do it." But also another part of me was saying, "Do it Danny. Open the door." I believe the 'paradox of horror' that Carrol is talking about can be effectively exemplified by that iconic scene.

Class, Meet my BFF Horror!

I have had a very long relationship with Horror. We met back in my wee lad days while I was spending the night at grangran's house. She would let me stay up late at night watching either cartoons or Zorro (ahhhhhhhhhhh Zorro!!!!!!!!!!!!! sorry about that). However this particular October night a show called, "Tales of The Crypt" came on. As I watched with my innocent little eyes such horrifying, thrilling, gory, with a dash of comedy here and there to keep it fresh. When we met, I was truly thrilled. It was Horror at it's core! Little did I know the movie, Cape Fear, came out in the same time which reminded me of that good ole fashion Horror that I grew up knowing and loving. I was also delighted to be Carroll's case study when she was diving into why people are drawn to Horror, but I personally think I'm an adrenaline junkie and that instant fear gives me a thrill.

Cape Fear was a movie about an innocent convicted felon of rape and murder served 14 years in jail due to his defense attorney bury evidence.  While serving his time Robert De Niro learned to read, law, and ended up getting a law degree in jail. When he got out his plot of revenge began by finding his defense attorney. His plot and plan was to get revenge and make him suffer like Job did in the bible. Robert De Niro's character slowly exposed his old attorney's affair, stole the piano string which was a murder weapon, killed the attorney's cop friend and made him and his family flee the scene of the crime. De Niro rode under the car as they moved the their next location Cape Fear. While getting settled in their new boat-home, De Niro springs into action and tried to take out the family. The attorney wins the struggle, the boat crashes and the family is saved. The fear and horror at play here is almost like a fear of Karma and past actions.

Watching Cape Fear reminded me of Aristotle's take on tragedy where we don't want to experience the terror but just observe from a safe distance. Almost to feel empathetic to the experience. What drew me in even more was the fact that I have aspirations on being an attorney and I've thought about some of the consequences which is making enemies. I don't plan on sabotaging my moral code to tamper with my cases as such. That has bad Karma written all over it. Things such as ghosts, ghouls, and goblins don't scare me but what does scare me is what I learned from Scooby-Doo; the person behind the mask is what you need to fear. Carroll brings up in the article the point about why people are drawn to horror is the unknown but the thrill is when the unknown is reaching out to you and you are not in control; which is fear. It has been something that puzzles mankind each day. The unknown is a huge source of fear. Whether its the fear of the unknown under the bed, in the closet, waiting on you in the backseat of your car, or even right behind you; Horror and thriller movies capture this an taunt us to put a face to this unknown horror and steer others from it.

Horror! I hope you paid everyone a healthy visit this week and opened their mind to a good scare!